Lap Band

Reduces the capacity of the stomach, for long term weight loss

Auralia Clinic provides a range of weight loss options, for surgical and non surgical procedures, that are tailored to suit the Patient’s individual needs and desires. Specialising in Gastric band and Gastric balloon Procedures, our team of world class Surgeons and Health Care Specialists create change through partnership and trust. At Auralia, Patient care is at the forefront of the agenda when it comes to weight loss surgery, and positions Auralia as the leading provider of procedures in Ireland. The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band or Lap Band is considered by many to be the least invasive surgery for weight loss. It helps to achieve sustained weight loss by placing an adjustable band around the upper part of the stomach to reduce its capacity.

Well after having a gastric band in Auralia in 2013, nine stone lighter and returning for a tummy tuck in 4 weeks. I can't express how professional and friendly all the team here are. I have heard and read so many bad stories about going abroad, you may pay slightly more staying in Ireland but it's so worth it.

Patrice, A verified Whatclinic.com review

(Results may differ from person to person)

I had gastric band inserted.
The keyhole operation went well and was done quickly after arrival to the clinic.
I used the remote control for the bed to get me moving before I got up to go to the toilet.
The nurses and doctors where extremely attentive and helpful.
I was treated beautifully from my first phone call and still.

Margaret, A verified Whatclinic.com review

(Results may differ from person to person)

Treatment was great. Was kept very comfortable and had one to one aftercare. Nurses, doctors and staff are all very lovely, pleasant, knowledgeable people.

Lyndsey, A verified Whatclinic.com review

(Results may differ from person to person)

Went to the Dublin clinic and I cannot fault one staff member. From the girls at the front to the nurses and anesthesiologist at the back and Dr Salman himself, everybody was extremely professional, compassionate and friendly. Follow up care is fantastic and the results speak for themselves. I would highly recommend Auralia.

Anon, A verified Whatclinic.com review

(Results may differ from person to person)

About this treatment

How does the gastric band work?

The procedure involves using keyhole (Laparoscopic) surgery to place a soft silicone ring around the top part of the stomach. It effectively creates a two-compartment stomach, with a much smaller top part above the band. A person eats enough food only to fill the top part of the stomach. Over time, after the meal, the food passes through the opening of the band into the remainder of the stomach, and digestion occurs normally.

The band is attached to an injection port under the skin via a soft tubing, which allows adjustment of the band’s tightness by inflating or deflating the balloon in the band. Adjustments to the band are easily performed and require no special preparation. Adding saline to the band makes the orifice between the two parts of the stomach smaller, making the passage of food from the top of the stomach to the rest of the stomach slower. Removing saline from the band allows more rapid passage of larger particles of food to pass.

Who will benefit from a gastric band?

If your BMI score is over 30-35, surgery may help you to achieve long-term weight loss. Gastric band surgery may also help if you suffer from other weight-related medical conditions such as Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

Used In conjunction diet and a modified lifestyle, a gastric band can help patients achieve long-term weight loss, greatly improving their health and well-being.

Advantages of the Lap. Band

The main advantage of the Lap. Band is its adjustability. The Lap. Band can be tightened or loosened in a matter of minutes in our clinic. We understand that no two patients are the same, therefore, we will adjust every individual Lap. Band until we find the perfect fit for each patient.

The surgery itself is minimally invasive, only taking around 35-45 minutes to complete. There is minimal scarring with very small incisions made. The stomach itself remains fully intact, along with the full digestive system.

Unlike other obesity surgeries, the Lap. Band is fully reversible. Although it is not our intention to do so, should anybody wish to have the Lap. Band removed, they will be left with a fully intact stomach and gastro-intestinal tract.

How much weight could I expect to lose?

This is largely dependent on your current weight and your weight loss goal. However, a typical weight loss would be between 5 and 6 stone (32 – 38kg) within the first year. Several patients have lost as much as 9 stone (57kg) within this time. A patient’s weight loss is largely dependent on how much effort they put into the nutritional and exercise program. Generally, the more you interact with the program, the more successful you will be. However, Auralia Weight Loss Clinic has never had a patient who simply hasn’t lost weight on our gastric band program.

The Allergan gastric band

The gastric band that we use is the Allergan gastric band. This particular device is the most advanced gastric band worldwide and is the first and only gastric band device to receive full FDA approval for patients with a BMI above 30. As a result of more than 10 years of research in collaboration with leading surgeons throughout the world which has proven it to be the safest and most reliable gastric band available throughout the world by a significant margin. With more than 700,000 Allergan gastric bands being placed worldwide, it is the most widely used device on the market.

Aftercare

Here at Auralia Weight Loss Clinic patient care has always been at the forefront of everything we do and we take pride in our comprehensive weight loss after-care program.

Weight loss surgery after-care is a very crucial part of recovering correctly and achieving your goals. Your success in weight loss will depend on how well you look after yourself and the effort you put into the nutritional and exercise program

At Auralia Weight Loss Clinic our after-care plans are individually tailored to each patient’s procedure and requirements in order that the best possible results are achieved.

Our approach has been proven to be the most effective program for long term weight loss and weight management.

As part of your after-care:

You will have access to 24hr phone lines which put you through directly to a member of our medical team, day or night

You will receive full expert nutritional guidelines which are worded in a way that is easy to understand, whilst still explaining every detail of the foods and drinks which you should consume, along with explaining portion sizes, cooking instructions and how to re-adjust your eating habits.

You will receive tailored exercise guidelines which are structured around your own abilities. We have structured these guidelines for many patients around long term goals such as walking a 5km race or even running a marathon! Whatever your goal is, we will work towards it as a team.

You will be entitled to unlimited appointments with our weight loss team in order to maximise your results for the entire duration of your after-care.

If you had a gastric band fitted, you will be entitled to have your gastric band adjusted every month throughout your after-care.

You will receive full surgical cover.

What are the advantages of a Lap Band?

Safer & easier than other obesity surgeries, with fewer risks

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery with faster recovery

Sustained Weight Loss

Adjustable & reversible

How much weight can I expect to lose?

Everyone is different and everybody’s weight loss will vary, depending on how strictly a patient sticks to our guidelines, however, an expected weight loss within the 1st year would be around 5-6 stone. Having said that, we have many patients who have lost as much as 10 stone within this time.

What are the benefits of the Allergan gastric band over others?

The Allergan gastric band boasts the highest fill volume available compared to every other device on the market which allows for more accurate individual adjustments along with greater flexibility for our patients. The Allergan gastric band is also the most researched medical device for weight loss worldwide and has been the focus of more than 5000 published research papers.

Will I have pain after the operation?

Yes, you are likely to have some discomfort from two main sources. Firstly the port entry sites, through which the operating instruments and camera were passed through can be sore, especially where the band access port was placed in the deep tissues. Secondly, it is quite common to have left shoulder pain after the procedure. This is actually pain coming from the diaphragm which is the large, thin sheet of muscle separating the chest from the abdominal cavity. It usually settles down after a few days. In general, most do not have severe pain and what discomfort they do have responds to simple painkillers.

How soon can I drive after the operation?

You should not drive for 2-3 days after surgery to allow the effects of the anesthetic and any post-operative analgesia (painkillers) to wear off. Thereafter you may find driving a little uncomfortable until the port sites have fully healed.

How long will I be off work?

Some patients have returned to work within a couple of days. If your job involves some lifting, you may need a longer period to allow the wounds to heal.

What scars will I have following surgery?

Generally there is minimal scarring. The ports are placed in the abdomen through 4 or 5 narrow (1cm) incisions and the access port is fixed through an incision about 3-4 cm. These are sutured and/or glued and will normally heal in 10-14 days. The scars should fade gradually.

What about physical activity?

Regular physical activity is a very important factor in achieving your weight loss goals. You will be given specific information and advice about physical activity after surgery, but to begin with we strongly recommend walking. As you become fitter you may wish to become involved in more strenuous forms of activity and there is no exercise that must be excluded.

Is it true that sweet eaters do less well with a band?

No. Although it is a very common belief, even among health professionals, that sweet eaters will lose less weight after gastric band surgery, this is emphatically NOT true. There is good scientific data to show that sweet eaters do just as well as anyone else.

Are band adjustments painful?

No. Experience suggests that some people worry more about the adjustment procedure than the surgery itself. In practice, each adjustment consists of a brief scratch of the skin with a small needle and then some very mild discomfort as we push on the access port. It usually takes a few minutes and does not require any form of anaesthetic.

How often will I need to have the band adjusted?

This depends on how well you are doing. If you are losing 1-2lbs (0.5-1kg) a week, have no symptoms and feel well, your band is fine. If your weight loss is very slow or if you have little restriction, you may need a further adjustment. There is considerable variation in how many adjustments are required in the first 12 months. Some need one, others need five or six. But remember more is not necessarily better. Some people think if the band is producing good weight loss, tightening it further will give more dramatic results. This is not true. An over-adjusted band can be dangerous, increasing the chance of slippage and other complications.

What happens if I lose too much weight?

It is very unusual for this to be a problem, but if your weight continues to decline after achieving your goal, we would remove some fluid from the band to reduce the restriction. This is a strength of the band – it can be adjusted to suit an individual’s requirements.

Can the band be removed?

Yes. It can be removed relatively easily, though it is not our intention to do so. Furthermore, because the gastric band procedure does not involve any cutting of the bowel or stomach, removal of the band will leave behind a fully restored and normal stomach and alimentary system.

What happens if I become pregnant?

The gastric band does not interfere in any way with normal pregnancy, of course the likelihood of becoming pregnant is much higher as a result of the band, since weight loss is known to increase fertility. There is a protocol for managing the band if you become pregnant, so you need have no concerns about this.

Can I drink alcohol?

Yes – in moderation but you need to exercise caution. Alcohol has a high calorific value (7kcal/gram) and provides a lot of unwanted calories to pass easily through your band..

What about air travel?

Some people feel that the band is tighter when they are flying. This can occur if there are any small air bubbles in the band. At normal pressure on the ground, tiny bubbles don’t matter, but at 30,000 feet the pressure in the cabin may be inadequate and the bubbles can expand making the band feel slightly tighter. As a result, you may find it a little more difficult than normal to swallow solid foods. Should this occur you simply eat soft foods during a flight. This will return to normal once you get back to ground level. We do all we can to remove air bubbles from the band, but it’s not always possible to eliminate them entirely. Incidentally, the Allergan gastric band does not set off airport security or x-ray systems.

How long will the band last?

The short answer is that we don’t know. The first band was implanted in 1993 so our experience is limited to the years since then. However, silicone has been used in the manufacture of medical devices for many years and there is no evidence to suggest it carries any long-term risks. Whether the band structure will remain intact in the very long-term (30+ years) remains to be seen.

Would you like to view our brochure?

If you would like to download our brochure on weight loss treatments at Auralia, simply click here. You can print it our save it to read at your convenience. Alternately, you can call any our team on 01 612 0551 and we would be happy to post more information to you.

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About

Auralia is one of Ireland’s leading private cosmetic surgery providers. Our team of surgical experts are based at our exclusive private hospital in Dublin, with a chain of private clinics around the country. Our medical staff are highly trained and experienced. We are totally committed to patient care and we are delighted to be your companion for change.